Mass killing of greyhounds continuing in Ireland’s greyhound racing industry

Petition updateIrish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound RacingMass killing of greyhounds continuing in Ireland’s greyhound racing industry

Irish Council Against Blood SportsMullingar, Ireland

May 16, 2026

The mass killing of unwanted greyhounds is continuing in Ireland’s cruel greyhound racing industry, shocking new figures reveal.

Greyhound Action Ireland is reporting that more than six out of ten greyhounds born in 2021 and 2022 - who have been retired from racing - are now DEAD.

The group points out that these 5,960 greyhounds - who would have had a life expectancy of 14 years - were between just three and a half and five and a half years old at the time of death.

“Figures provided by Greyhound Racing Ireland to the Minister for Agriculture show that as of 1st April this year, 57% (3,300) of the greyhounds born in 2021 who remain in this country and are no longer racing are dead,” Greyhound Action Ireland highlighted this week. “Even more shockingly, 2,660 (74%) of the racing greyhounds born in 2022 who remain here and have been retired from the track are dead.”

Greyhound Action Ireland spokesperson Nuala Donlon has noted that “these newly obtained figures show that the mass culling of unwanted racing greyhounds is going on at the same rate as was exposed in the 2019 RTE Investigates documentary 'Running for Their Lives'.”

The award-winning documentary uncovered the fact that thousands of greyhounds are killed every year in Ireland because they are not fast enough to win races. These dogs are referred to in the industry as “wastage”.

Following the broadcast of the programme, Greyhound Racing Ireland set up a traceability system which, it claimed, would prove that greyhound racing was not responsible for the widespread culling of dogs.

“The traceability system has, in fact, done the opposite,” Nuala Donlon observed. “The industry’s own figures prove beyond doubt that nothing has changed in Irish greyhound racing - thousands of young dogs are still being killed every year!”

While thousands are killed behind the scenes, others are dying at tracks.

Since 2014, 4,040 greyhounds suffered injuries at races around Ireland and 1,593 were killed. This includes 344 injuries and 197 deaths in 2025. The killing of greyhounds injured at trials has also been documented.

Greyhound Action Ireland is renewing its calls for an end to the government funding that is keeping greyhound racing afloat. Greyhound Racing Ireland has received over €386 million (€386,806,146) in grants since 2001 (including €19.8 million for 2025 and another €19.8 million for 2026).

“The Irish state is essentially sponsoring the killing of dogs on an industrial scale,” Nuala stated. “This would not be tolerated were it happening to any other breed of dog. It should not be tolerated in the case of greyhounds.”

For more information, see:

https://greyhoundaction.ie/greyhound-traceability-in-ireland/greyhounds-born-2021/

https://greyhoundaction.ie/greyhound-traceability-in-ireland/greyhounds-born-2022/

ACTION ALERT

Don’t go greyhound racing. Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland has received €386,806,146 in grants, including €19 million for 2024, €19.82 million for 2025 and €19.82 million for 2026. This is unacceptable and must be stopped. Tell the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein to stop supporting the funding and back a ban on this dog-killing gambling activity.

Micheál Martin TD

Leader, Fianna Fail

Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie

Tel: 01 619 4000

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/

X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Simon Harris TD

Leader, Fine Gael

Telephone: 01 281 3727

Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie

X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris